knight



Oct. 10, 1939. H. DE B.-KNIGHT 2,175,900

ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE DEVICE AND SYSTEM Flled Jan. 22, 1938 Inver-Lor' Herw g de Bqgne r: i

y M c. i H is Attorn e5 Patented Oct. 10,1939

ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE DEVICE AND SYSTEM I Ienry de Boyne Knightfltugby, England, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application January 22, 1938, Serial No. 186,428 I In Great Britain February 15, 1937 6 Claims.

My invention relates to electricaldischarge devices and systems, and more particularly to internal combustion engine ignition-systems, or similar arrangements.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved discharge system, wherein an auxiliary circuit is arranged to control the voltage for energizing the discharge device.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent and my invention will be better understood from the following description referring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

In the drawing,- the single figure is a diagrammatic illustration of a discharge system embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention applied to a discharge device adapted to be used in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine or the like, and including a spark plug or similar discharge device l having spaced apart electrodes 2 and 3 insulated from each other by any suitable insulator 4. The electrodes 2 and 3 are connected across the terminals of an inductive device, such as a transformer; secondary winding 5 of a main transformer 6 arranged to energize the spark plug. The main transformer 6 is provided with a primary winding 1, one terminal of which is connected to a side 8 of. a source of electrical power supply and to a main electrode 9 of an electrical gaseous space discharge tube Ill, and the other terminal of which is connected in series with a main capacitor ll. In order to produce the desired primary transformer current variation to induce the required transformer secondary voltage for the spark plug I, the terminal Ila of the main capacitor I I is connectedto main electrodes 9a and I2 is gaseous space discharge tubes Ill and I3, respectively. These space discharge tubes may comprise any suitable space discharge devices having electrodes arranged to provide a discharge path having such resistance that the circuit therethrough is normally non-conductive. These space discharge tubes may be filled with air or other suitable gas or vapor at any suitable pressure. The space discharge tube I3 is provided with another main electrode 14 connected to the other side l5 of the source of electrical power supply, and an auxiliary reserve capacitor "5 also, is, connected across the source of elec- 65 trical power supply in series with a currentlimiting resistor l1, and serves as a booster across the space discharge devices l0 and I3 and the main capacitor ll. These space discharge tubes In and I3 provide the desired impulses of electric current through the'main capacitor H and the main transformer primary winding 1, as the current flows between the respective main tube electrodes. In order to obtain the desired flow of current through these tubes, the gaseous medium therein is ionized at the desired time in any suitable manner, as by subjecting the discharge paths between the electrodes in the tubes l0 and [3 to the fields of auxiliary regulating electrodes 18 and i9 arranged intermediate the two main electrodes in the tubes l0 and 13, respectivelyw The main tube electrodes may be made of any suitable material and may be activated or coated with an electron emissive material, or may be formed of liquid mercury or amalgam to reduce the wear thereof.

In order to obtain the desired regulation of the discharges through the tubes in and iii, an electo the side 15 of any suitable direct current source of electrical power supply and to a contact 26, and arranged to be connected to the other side 8 of the source of electrical power supply through an auxiliary capacitor 21 by closing a 'contactor 28 on the contact 28. In this manner, when the contactor 28 engages the contact 26, a charging current flows through into the auxiliary ca-- pacitor 21 and energizes the primary winding 25 of the auxiliary transformer 23. This induces the desired voltage in the auxiliary transformer secondary winding 2|, which provides the required electrical impulses to the auxiliary electrode l9, and ionizes the gaseous medium in the space discharge tube II. This produces an electrical discharge between the electrodes l2 and II and a chargingcurrent passes into the main capacitor II and energizes the main transformer primary winding 1, thereby inducing the required voltage in the main transformer secondary wind-- ing 6, and producing the desired electrical discharge between the electrodes 2 and 3 of the spark plug i.

' and the contactor 2&3.

In order to utilize the discharge current of the various capacitors to energize the spark plug I, the primary winding 24 of. the auxiliary transformer 22 may be connected tothe other side 8 of the source of electrical power supply and across the auzdliary capacitor 27 through a contact 29 When the contactor 28 engages the contact 29, the circuit of the primary winding 25 of the auxiliary transformer 23 is opened, and the potential on the auxiliary electrode is removed, so that the potential dififier ences hetween the main electrodes l2 and i of the space discharge device l3 become lnsufii= cient to ppduce an electrical discharge therebecapacitor discharges through the primary winding'il l and induces a voltage in the auxiliary transformer secondary winding ill, which pro vides an electrical impulse to the auxiliary electrode l8 oi the space discharge tube ill to ionize the gaseous medium therein. This provides an electrically conductive path between the main electrodes 3 and 9a or the space discharge tube H7, and the main capacitor l l discharges through this tube and produces the required electric current flow through the main transformer primary winding l to induce a voltage in the main trans former secondary winding 5, and produces electric discharge between. the electrodes 2 and 3 of the spark plug l. The contactor 28 may he operated in any desired conventional manner and may comprise any conventional circuit breaker, commutator, or cam-operated contactor operating any predetermined desired speed or frequency to obtain the desired timing of the spark plug discharges.

While I have illustrated and described a par ticular embodiment of my invention, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire it to be understood, therefore, that my invention is not to he limited to the particular arrangement disclosed, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart-from the spirit and scope or" my invention.

What claim as new and desir to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

-l. An electric discharge system including a discharge device, an inductive device arranged to provide electrical energlzatlon to said discharge device, a capacitor connected in circuit with said inductive device, a source of electrical power supply, means for connecting said source of electrical power supply to said capacitor, said inductive device, a source of electrical power supply, means for connecting said source of electrical power supply to said capacitor, said connecting means including, an electric gaseous discharge path connected in series between said capacitor and said source of electrical power supply and having such resistance that said source of electric power supply connecting means across said capacitor is non-conductive through said discharge path, and oceans including a second inductive device for providing an electrically conductive path through said electrical discharge path by ionisation thereof providing electrical energizetion to said clacharge device. an electrical dischur "e syste including a discharge device, a tran former arranged to provide electrical energisation to sale d scharge alevice, a capacitor connected se' w. h said wer supply, means for connecting said source or electrical power supply M) said capacitor, said connecting means inciudhig a second electrical discharge device connected in circuit with capacitor and having main electrodes arranged to provide such resistance therethrough that said source of electrical power supply connecting means across said capacitor non-conductive therethmugh, means including an auxiliary electrode arranged to provide an electric held between said main electrodes for providing an electrically conductive path therebetween, an inductive device arranged to energize said auxiliary electrode, and means for providing an electrical impulse to said inductive device. I

An electric discharge system including a discharge device, an inductive device arranged to provide electrical energizatlon to discharge device, a capacitor connected in circuit with said inductive device, a source oi electrical power supply, means for connecting said source of electrical power supply to said capacitor, said connecting means including an electric discharge path connected in circuit with said capacitor: and having such resistance that said source oi electric power supply connecting means across said capacitor is non-conductive through said discharge path, means including an auxiliary source of electrical impulse for providing an electrically conductive path through said electrical discharge path pro viding electrical energization to said discharge do vice by the charging current oi" said capacitor, 8. second electrical discharge path connected in circuit with said inductive device and said source of electrical power supply, and means including a second auxiliary source of electrical. impulse for providing an electrically conductive path through said second electrical discharge path providing electrical energisation to said discharge device by the discharge current of said capacitor.

5. An electrical discharge system including a discharge device, a transformer arranged to provide electrical energization to said discharge device, a capacitor connected in circuit with said transformer, a source of electrical power supply, means for connecting said source of electrical power supply to said capacitor, said connecting means including a set of electrical discharge devices connected in circuit with said capacitor and having main'electrodes arranged to provide such resistances therethrough that said source of electrical power supply connecting means across said capacitor is non-conductive therethrough, an auxiliary electrode arranged to provide an electrlc field between said main electrodes of one of said discharge devices of said set of discharge devices, an inductive device arranged to energize said aulxiliary electrode, means for providing an electrical impulse to said inductive device providing electrical energization to said first-mentioned discharge device by the charging current of said capacitor, a second auxiliary electrode arranged to provide an electric field between said main electrodes of another of said discharge devices of said set of discharge devices, a second inductive device arranged to energize said second auxiliary electrode, and means for providing an electrical impulse to said second inductive device providing electrical energimtion of said first-mentioned discharge device by the discharge current of said capacitor.

6. An internal combustion engine ignition system including a spark plug, a transformer arranged to provided electrical energimtion to said spark plug, a capacitor connected in circuit with said transformer, a source of electrical power supply, means for connecting said source of electrical power supply to said capacitor, said connecting means including an electric gaseous discharge tube connected in circuit with said capacitor and having main electrodes arranged to provide such resistance therethrough that said source of electrical power supply connecting means across said capacitor is non-conductive therethrough, means including an auxiliary electrode arranged to pro vide an electric field between said main tube electrodes for providing an electrically conductive path therebetween, an auxiliary transformer arranged to energize said auxiliary electrode, an auxiliary capacitor connected to said auxiliary transformer, and means for providing an electrical impulse to said auxiliary transformer through said auxiliary capacitor to energize said auxiliary electrode.

HENRY nr: BOYNE KNIGHT. 

